Disinfecting apparatus



' (No Model.)

" R. WESTPHAL.

DISINFEGTING APPARATUS.

No. 589,054. Patented Aug. 31,1897

Wims-sess UNITED STATES PATENT G FICEJ.

ROBERT VESTPHAL; SOUTH BEND, INDIANA.

DISINFECTING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 589,054, dated August31, 1897. Application filed February 1, 1897- Serial No. 621,430. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT W ESTPHAL, a

. citizen of the United States, residing at South izing Apparatus, ofwhich the following is a' specification.

My invention relates to an apparatus which may be employed for drying,purifying, deodorizing, and sterilizing the air in rooms or whereverthere is damp and impure air, and is especially designed for useinsleeping-rooms or other habitable apartments or' in cellars orwarehouses which require a perfectly dry atmosphere.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple device which maypreferably'be made portable and which may be conveniently used whereverrequired; and the improvement consists, as generally stated, in areturn-tube section having at its lower end a combustionchamber open toreceive the dam p and impure air,- and fitted at its upper end with acondensation-chamber into which the moisture from the air is deposited,substantially as described. V

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of myimproved apparatus; Fig. 2, an enlarged vertical section of thecondensation-chamber in detail, and Fig. 3 a similar transverse sectionthereof in the line x a: of Fig. 2.

The return-tube section A of the apparatus consists of zigzag pipes a,connected at their adjacent ends by pipe-couplin g double elbows a,placed vertically one above the other, the said tube-section beingsupported at its-ends between oppositely-disposed parallel plates 1) ateach end of said section and suitable blocks 6, held between said platesand between the adjacent ends of said tubes by bolts 6 which holds said"plates together and also serve to hold diverging legs 11 thereto, alsomade of bars or plates having feet at their lower ends to support thetube-section in a suitable manner to admit of its being moved from placeto place and properly supported. A combustion-chamber G is connected tothe lower and extreme end of the bottom pipe a and acondensation-chamber D is secured to the exsections.

treme end of the top pipe a of the tube-section.

' The separate pipe-sections a are each placed .therefrom through a cockB, fitted into the lower end of thebottom couplingelbow a of thetube-section.

The top pipe a of the tube-section is shorter than the other pipes andconnects the top coupling-elbowto the OOIldGIlSlllg-Cllllllbfil D, inwhich is placed'a sponge E or other suitable absorbent ordraft-interrupting media, and bymeans of which any moisture remaining inthe air carried from the tube-section is taken up and deposited therein.A stop-cock or faucet F is fitted to the bottom of said chamber D toallow the Water to be drawnoff, and an escape-pipe (Z is fitted to thecover of said condensing-chamber, through which the air which ispurified and freed from moisture may escape.

The condensing-chamber D is fitted at the bottom with a curvedbase-plate to rest upon and be fixed to the top pipe a of the tube- Thecombustion-chamber C preferably consists of a sheet-metal cone, fittedat its apex to the lower end of the bottom pipe of the tube-sections,and is provided with an opening through which the air from the apartmentto be dried may enter, or the bottom and open end of the saidcombustion-chamber is raised and supported a suflicient distance fromthe floor of the apartment for this purpose. A door 0. is fitted to thechamber 0, which will give access to the burner H or to the fire kindledwithin the said chamber. A portable gas-burner for heating thecombustion-chamber is shown in the drawings, but any preferred burner orflame may be used, the object being to take the heavy, damp, and impureair from the floorof the room or apartment and feed it directly to theflame, a portion of the air, with all of the combustible particlescarried thereby,supplying the flame and being consumed and theremainderbcingheated and carried up through the pipes together with themoisture-laden air. The inner surface of the zigzag tubesections iscolder than the heated air and vapors which come direct from the flame,and the latter will be condensed, the water of condensation beingcarried back through said pipes and through the escape-cock at thebottom of the tube-sections toa suitable vessel I to receive it.

The lighter and combustible impurities of the air such as fine dust,bacteria, and noxious gases-which pervade sick-rooms, hospitals, andpoorly-ventilated apartments or the dust-laden air of school-rooms whencarried through the flame of the combustionchamber of this device willbe entirely consumed, while the moisture and non-combustible and impurevapors of the air thus conducted will be deposited either in thepipesections or in the condensing-chamber. The condensing-chamber maycontain a suitable disinfectant, over which the air is passed before itis returned to the apartment. Even air containing the germs ofcontagious dis cases may by this device be completely purifled.

My device is light and portable and may be easily moved from place toplace or from one part of a building to another, as occasion mayrequire.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent-- 1. Aportable air drying and purifying device consisting of a series ofvertically-disposed pipe-sections, connected at their ends successivelyin zigzag order, the disconnected lower end of the bottom pipe beingconnected to a combustion-chamber and the upper end connected with acondensing-chamber and frame-pieces connected to the pipe-sections toprovide standards or supports, substantially as described.

2. An air drying and purifying device consisting of a series of pipesconnected in zigzag order; a combustion-chamber at the lower endthereof, and a condensing-chamber at the upper end thereof provided withabsorbent or vapor-arrestin g media, substantially as described.

3. An air drying and purifying device comprising a combustion-chamber, aseries of pipes connected in zigzag order, a condensing-chamber providedwith vapor-arresting media connected to the upper terminus of said pipe,and a faucet to permit the water to be withdrawn from thecondensing-chamber, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed myname in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ROBERT \VESTPHAL.

Witnesses:

KRUEPER, Tl. ZABELER.

